Julia Nealer closed out the 2012 regular season on a tear and she showed no signs of letting up Thursday afternoon. The University of Minnesota Duluth junior held the University of Mary to just three hits -- all singles -- and pitched a 2-0 gem for the the Bulldogs in the opening round of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tournament.

Nealer, who improved to 11-3 on the season, is 9-1 in her last 10 starts, compiling a 0.49 earned run average during that stretch. Although she didn't get the run support early, she got all she would need in the bottom of the fifth inning when, with two outs, senior left fielder Carlie Schnoebelen scored on an error by Mary right fielder Sami Antolin.

UMD, winners of 10 of its last 11 games, added an insurance run one inning later after senior first baseman Erin Hunecke deposited a Emily Sinclair offering over the left centerfield fence. The towering shot of an estimated 235 feet was Hunecke's third home run of the season. Schnoebelen and junior shortstop Kierra Jeffers had the other two UMD hits (both doubles).

Junior second baseman Tyra Kerr, who earlier this week was chosen to the All-NSIC first team for the second straight year, went 0-for-2, snapping her career-high 17-game hitting streak.

The Bulldogs (37-18) will now face NSIC regular season champion Minnesota State University-Mankato, a 2-0 victory over Wayne State College Thursday, tat 11 a.m.tomorrow  in the double-elimination event.